Life-Long Faith Formation ​Opportunities

The Parish Faith Formation Ministry provides opportunities for people of all ages to grow as disciples of Jesus through engaging processes which deepen our information, formation, and transformation. Designed to touch the heart, as well as the intellect, Faith Formation helps people to deepen their relationship with God and grow in knowledge of the Church’s teachings and traditions, Scripture, Liturgy, Morality, Social Justice, Prayer and Spirituality. Each person is encouraged to integrate their faith into their everyday life experiences and to live their Baptismal call to be disciples of Jesus at home and in our world.

Faith Formation Advisory BoardMembers are charged with planning and implementing a parish-wide Faith Formation Program. The team strives to do so by fostering an atmosphere of ongoing individual and communal formation in a way that is accessible and relates to individual life experiences. Allowing for diverse learning needs and a variety of opportunities helps create a life-long, vibrant learning environment as we continue to grow as a community of disciples of Jesus.

Baptism Preparation TeamIn order to strengthen the partnership between family and Parish in passing on the faith, parents requesting Baptism for the first time are asked to participate in a Pre-Baptism session. The Baptismal Preparation team offers these sessions six times a year. The team leaders use an outline, resource materials, and their own faith experience to facilitate a discussion about the Sacrament of Baptism, its meaning and symbols, the Rite of Baptism, and ways to nurture the faith of the child.

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)Adults entering the Roman Catholic Church, or those just thinking about it, embark on a faith journey known as the RCIA or Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. The RCIA team and anyone in the process meet as a small-faith community to learn about the Catholic faith, Church teachings and its traditions, to pray together and share scripture in order to deepen their relationship with both God and the Catholic community. This process involves a number of stages:

Inquiry: The initial period when a person begins to ask questions and expresses a desire to enter the Catholic Church.

Catechumenate: Those who decide to enter the Church and are being trained for a life in Christ are called catechumens, an ancient name from the early Church. In this stage, they delve more deeply into scripture, prayer and the teachings of the Church in order to receive the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil (the unbaptized) or be received into Full Communion (those baptized in another faith tradition) during the Easter Season.

Mystagogy: This period allows the newly baptized a time to reflect and learn more about the mysteries of the Mass and the Sacraments in which they now fully participate.

RCIA Sponsors: Confirmed adults in good standing with the Catholic Church willing to attend some, but not all, of the Catechumenate sessions and be role models in living the faith for the person they sponsor.RCIA Team: Confirmed adults in good standing with the Catholic Church form a small Christian community with those interested in becoming members of the Roman Catholic Church. The team shares the responsibility of leading prayer and scripture, sharing and catechizing the Candidates and Catechumens about the Church, its teachings and traditions.

PREP Catechists (PREP, Parish Religious Education Program, Years 1-6)PREP Catechists assist children, from first to sixth grade and older, on their faith journey. PREP classes are held on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month from 10 AM to 11:30 AM. On alternate weeks, the children receive home instruction from their parents and complete assignments which are turned in to their catechists at the next PREP session. Parents and students attend two Family PREP Sundays and two Family Penance Services throughout the year. If a student is unable to attend a class, they are responsible for the assigned classwork which is posted online on the parish website. The time commitment for Catechists is usually about 3 hours weekly which includes preparing lessons and teaching the students. Volunteers must submit to a Criminal Background Check, Child Abuse Clearance, complete an online Mandated Reporter Training, and attend a required Safe Environment Training.

Sunday Story & Children’s Liturgy of the Word Catechists Each Sunday during the 9 AM Mass, trained Catechists share their faith and the joy of the Gospel with children in three age groups – Pre-K/K, Grades 1-2, and Grades 3-4. Training and all materials are provided. The commitment is once every four to five weeks, Sunday morning during the 9 AM Mass. Volunteers are scheduled by signing up on the ministry website. Volunteers must submit to a Criminal Background Check, Child Abuse Clearance, complete an online Mandated Reporter Training, and attend a required Safe Environment Training.

Family Catechesis Team This team prepares and carries out two to three Faith Formation gatherings for families during the year. These events are centered on the Church Liturgical Year and engage families and children in learning about Church traditions, teachings, sacraments, and liturgy. Members of the committee assume various responsibilities including hospitality, crafts, leading groups, cleanup, and setup.